


Heavy as a Secret

by blaqqkat (she_was_art)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Everything Hurts, F/M, Genderbend, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, Slow Burn, Teen Angst, Trigger Warning: Emotions, adrienette - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-06 12:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12211599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/she_was_art/pseuds/blaqqkat
Summary: “Nothing weighs so heavily as a secret.” - Jean de La FontaineAs Marin's superhero partner becomes fast friends with his civilian self, his dynamic with Chat Noire as Ladybug becomes more strained. And between his budding feelings for her, his sudden closeness with his longtime crush, and the evil brewing beneath the surface of it all, the secrets they’ve been so desperately trying to hide might come tumbling out. (Warning: Genderbend!Marichat Garbage Ahead)





	1. i'd have given you them all.

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been drafting this idea for a gender bent Marichat story for over a year and I decided it's time to just post the damned thing. I hope at least one person likes this mess, but honestly I'm past the point of caring. :P

_if i didn’t kill it, would you still say you needed me?_

_guess i walked right into it,_

_guess i made it too easy._

***

Adrienne Agreste was probably the most flawless, untouched person Marin Dupain-Cheng had ever known, and she was completely unattainable. (And so very beautiful.) Just being around her made him a complete coward. Which was why Marin, the human personification of the phrase “tongue-tied” could only properly convey just how much he adored her over the phone. To his best friend.

“Seriously,” Ali chastised him from the other end of the line. “What’s the worst that could happen? That she’ll turn you down in that nice Adrienne Way and still want to be friends after?”

“Ali, rejection is, like, my absolute greatest fear.”

“Really,” Ali scoffed, clearly not believing him. “So you’d rather face down an _akuma_ than ask her out?”

Marin barely kept himself from laughing at the irony of the question. He threw a glance up at the face that grinned down at him from the magazine ads on his wall. It wasn’t the fact that Adrienne was so _pretty_ that had his stomach tied up in knots. It was the dizzying combination of “pretty”, “warm”, and “unimaginably friendly” that seemed to do Marin in.

“Yeah,” Marin drawled wryly, scrolling through posts on his computer as he slumped in his seat. “I’d rather fight an _army_ of akumas than look Adrienne Agreste in the eye and tell her I’m crazy in love with her.”

“You’re so full of _shit_ ,” Ali laughed. “Every time an akuma pops up, you’re out that bitch faster than an olympic sprinter.”

“That just means I have common sense,” Marin defended, mouth tugged up in a grin.

Ali shot back some witty reply, but Marin’s focus was suddenly drawn the commotion on the breaking news report that popped up in his feed. The grin slipped off his face. _Bank robbery on Rambuteau Street. Hostages taken._ He analyzed the screen for a moment but saw no akumas. Still, the situation didn’t exactly look promising.

“Ali,” Marin said slowly. “I think I’m gonna have to call you back.”

When Marin hung up, he looked over to see Tikki already gearing to go.

“I’m guessing you’re not about to ask the girl out,” Tikki teased. Marin rolled his eyes.

“Tikki, spots on!”

***

“Secure the perimeter! No one gets out _or_ in!”

Marin rolled his eyes from where he hid behind the corner. That plan was already working _so_ well for them. There were six robbers, all carrying big guns and using intimidation tactics to frighten the hostages into a corner. One of the thieves- the leader, Marin presumed- was shoving the bank manager towards the vault. _Five._ Marin mentally formulated a plan. He’d already called for his Lucky Charm, and it was clear exactly how Marin would be using it. He’d have to hit the one by the door first, then the two harassing hostages, and finally the two waiting by the door to the vault. Which still left out one-

Marin’s blood went cold when a hand gripped a shoulder. He jerked forward, mouth instinctively opening in a startled yelp when a hand clapped over his mouth.

“Stop _bugging_ _out_ ,” a playful voice hissed. Marin saw a flash of golden curls in his peripheral, and the tension drained out of his body.

“Jesus _shit_ , Chat,” he hissed back, spinning to see mischievous eyes staring back at him. “You scared the fuck outta me!”

“ _Someone’s_ got their tail in a twist,” Chat Noire teased.

Marin scoffed and rolled his eyes, which only made her grin grow brighter. He gestured her closer, and Chat came to a full crouch beside him and readied herself for the game plan. Marin leaned in to whisper their strategy to her, brow twitching a bit when a tendril of her hair tickled his forehead. When he pulled back, Chat was just staring up at him with foggy eyes and blushing cheeks.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“ _Chat_ ,” he scolded. “Focus. And take this.”

Marin took out his Lucky Charm object, giving Chat full view of it for the first time. She gaped at him when she saw it. A Ladybug-patterned bulletproof vest sat between them, ostentatious in both its color and thick padding. Marin understood her shock. When it had landed in his hands, he’d nearly dropped it as anxiety bubbled up due to the danger it implied. After all, no one wears a bulletproof vest unless they’re expecting to get shot.

“Ladybug,” Chat said lowly. “I can’t take this. _You’re_ the one that needs to stay protected-”

“You’re my partner,” Marin rebutted. “Not my guardian. It’s _my_ Lucky Charm-”

“So _you_ use it,” Chat interrupted, eyes intense.

“So _I_ get to decide who uses it,” Marin argued.

“And I can turn down the offer if I want to!”

“Chat, I swear to _all that is holy-_ ”

“Well look what the _cat_ dragged in,” a gruff voice mocked.

_Great. As if one serial punner just isn’t enough._

“He’s behind me,” Marin sighed. “Isn’t he?”

“Yup,” Chat sing-songed, having the audacity to pop the “P”.

Marin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was why Batman worked alone now. Although Marin _highly_ doubted Robin would fail to warn Batman about one of the bad guys sneaking up from behind. It was moments like this that Marin was glad time passed infinitely slower in the outside world than the frantic workings of his own mind. Because in the time it took Marin to register the threat, internally bitch about the situation, and steel himself for the next move, mere seconds had gone by real time. With a flick of his yoyo, he had the gunman incapacitated before even standing.

Honestly, akumas were so much harder than this.

“Chat,” Marin murmured, edging towards the door. “We need to move now if we want to stop this robbery.”

“My love,” Chat flirted. “The only robbery that’ll be happening today is me stealing your _heart_.”

“Nice line, Smooth Criminal,” Marin chuckled, slyly reaching down for the Lucky Charm. “Now _think fast._ ”

Marin chucked the vest at her and ran inside, snorting in amusement at her indignant cry of, “ _LB, I swear to God-_ ”. With Chat Noire hot on his heels he flung his yoyo at the two gunmen terrorizing the hostages, aiming for that sensitive spot of the backs of their heads. They fell unconscious, and Marin turned just in time to see a blur of color flying at his head. He caught it just in time, looking down to see… _the fucking bulletproof vest?_

“ _Chat_ ,” he yelled out, seeing her punch one of the robbers while kicking the gun out of the hands of the other. “ _What the hell?_ ”

“You’re welcome, babe!” she called back in that infuriating grin of hers, having the nerve to wink at him mid-judo flip.

Too caught up in flirting, Chat of course didn’t notice the huge guy lumbering behind her. Marin sent is his yoyo wrapping around him and _yanked_ \- making sure to throw the vest across the room in the process. He tried not to snicker when it hit Chat in the head. It spilled out of him, though, when Chat shot him the dirtiest glare he’d ever seen in his life.

“If you don’t put this damned thing on, we’re getting a divorce,” Chat threatened. “And I’d hate for us to be torn apart over a game of hot potato with a bulletproof vest.”

“Funny,” Marin fake-contemplated. “I don’t exactly remember the wedding.”

“How could you?” Chat gasped. “Our anniversary is next month!”

Her voice had a strange breathlessness from the exertion of dragging the unconscious robbers to a corner of the room, so it was hard to take her seriously. Marin threw his head back and laughed as he untied hostages, ushering the civilians towards the door before refocusing his attention on Chat.

“Sorry,” He grinned, breaking weapons over his knee. “A separation might be in our cards.”

“But what am I supposed to tell the _children?_ ” Chat cried dramatically. Marin choked on his own spit.

“ _What children?_ ”

Chat shot him a salacious grin, likely readying herself to shoot off a pre-planned response. But then her eyes went all round and panicked, and Marin knew something was wrong. She was a blur of motion, then, and Marin was on knocked to the ground seconds before bullets flew. They rolled to cover behind a counter, Marin somehow ending up on top. Beneath him, Chat stared up with wide, hazy eyes. Marin wondered if she’d been hit on the head mid-roll.

“Are you okay?” he asked, hand sliding under Chat’s head to feel for blood. Chat bit her lip as a flirtatious grin stretched across her face.

“Nothing you can’t kiss better, my love.”

Marin scoffed and rolled off her, thinking of the next move. It would have to be fast because the gunman’s footsteps were approaching. Maybe if they stayed quiet they could-

_Beepbeepbeep._

**_Shit._ **

Marin was about to de-transform with a gunman five steps away. He almost was almost drowning in his internal panic when he noticed Chat’s eyes dart to something behind him. She snatched it up before he got a chance to look at it, and the panic morphed into full-on terror as she put on the polka dotted bulletproof vest and slowly rose from her crouch.

“I guess this Lucky Charm _is_ for me,” she said with a nervous grin. “I hate that you’re always right.”

“Chat, _don’t_ -”

Marin cursed as she threw herself over the counter, whipping his yoyo out to hit the robber. He wasn’t quite fast enough, though, and Chat still got hit by a stray bullet just before Marin could knock the guy unconscious. Marin _ran_ to her, bile rising in his throat as he fought to keep his hands from shaking. His heroic, brave, _irreplaceable_ _partner_ -

“Even with the vest, getting shot is so not fun,” Chat groaned.

_Was so reckless that she was going to give him a goddamned heart attack._

“If you try a stunt like that again, I will kill you in the least fun way imaginable,” Marin hissed, his voice far harsher than his hands as he helped her up.

“Well, I’ve always thought death by passionate lovemaking sounded _unbearable_ ,” Chat flirted.

“Why do I put up with you?”

“Because I’m devastatingly good looking?”

And Marin _did_ have a thing for blondes, but as police officers finally flooded in and started making arrests, he decided not to blow up Chat’s ego. The girl had a rabid male fan base that could fill entire stadiums, so she probably wasn’t starving for validation. But he couldn’t quite deny how stunning her grin was as she stretched her fist out to him.

“I don’t think so,” Marin scoffed, ignoring the fistbump in favor of checking for signs of trauma. Chat pouted as he lifted her arms in his search for damage.

“Me- _ouch_. You wound me, love bug.”

Marin grinned and opened his mouth to shoot something back, but a clap on his shoulder startled him. Marin whirled around to see the chief of police smiling down at him.

“Good work, Ladybug,” he grinned. “You and that pretty kitty of yours are always a great help.”

“Partner,” Marin corrected with a frown. “She’s my partner.”

“Isn’t that what I said?” the chief laughed heartily, shooting Chat Noire a look that clearly read “ _Can you believe this guy?_ ” Marin had to fight from clenching his jaw at Chat’s strained smile.

“Well,” Chat drawled, pulling on Marin’s arm. “We’ve got to slip away before our pixie dust wears off. It was nice talking to you, Chief.”

Marin’s earrings gave a second beep as they walked away, and he thanked his stars that Chat had the makings of an escape artist. He just wanted to go home, slip into bed, and brainstorm ways to make Adrienne Agreste fall in love with him. It became clear that the universe was completely against him when chaos started to break loose outside. They ran out, only to be met with-

“NO ONE CAN CATCH A ROBBER AS STEALTHY AND AGILE AS ME. I AM NOW _THE CAT BURGLAR._ ”

Marin slapped a hand to his forehead and dragged it down his face in aggravation. Even Chat groaned at the pun, stomping her foot in indignation.

“Why does nobody understand that having a cat persona is _my thing?_ ”

Marin, internally screaming, went to find somewhere to recharge. Everything _sucks_.

***

“Pound it,” they sighed in unison, bumping fists despite the fact that they were literally dead inside.

Marin gave a heavy exhale and slumped over, sinking down to sit on the ground. They’d ended up on a rooftop again (which had been happening a lot lately). Not that he minded. The sun was just starting to set, and the view was _beautiful._ Chat followed soon after, resting her head on Marin’s shoulder. He stiffened at the contact, if only just barely, before relaxing again. This sort of affectionate closeness with pretty girls was something Marin had been unfamiliar with before meeting Chat Noire. It still made him vaguely uncomfortable, but he stopped complaining and jerking away from her touch. This simple contact was all it took to make Chat happy, and it was kind of nice knowing someone wanted to be near you.

“These akumas have been getting tougher,” Marin sighed, rubbing the sore spot that’d been hit by the Cat Burglar. The motion immediately drew Chat’s attention.

“How’s your forearm?” she asked, voice lower and more serious than he’d heard it in a while.

“It’s fine,” Marin lied, knowing it’d definitely become a nasty bruise. “The miraculous cure takes care of most of it.”

Chat gave him a long side glance that clearly said she didn’t believe him, reaching to- so very gently- brush fingers over the area where he’d been hit. The place was so sensitive and her touch so soft that Marin felt the skin on his arm buzz and tingle in response. He cursed the heat that flooded his cheeks and tried to focus on anything but the worry on Chat’s face, which made him feel guilty for ever letting himself get in harm’s way. He really hated making her fret over him.

“I- Um,” Chat stammered uncharacteristically, lifting her head from his shoulder. “You know, today got me thinking. What we do is _dangerous_ , after all. I mean, duh, of course. But I’ve never had _bullets_ shot at me before, and I just think I should- It’s just, I need to-”

“Chat,” Marin interrupted. “Calm down, kitten. Just think about what you’re wanting to say.”

Chat visibly relaxed, tension leaving the stiff set of her shoulders and worried brows. She took a deep breath and tried again.

“That’s just it,” she sighed. “I realized after all the danger earlier that I have things I wanna say- things I wanna tell you. And we should- I need you to know before it’s too late.”

And of course, vague statements like that were literally all it took to make Marin’s head explode with worry. Eyes fierce and searching for distress, hands already reaching to soothe, he prepared himself for a world of horrible possibilities.

“What is it?” he asked, frantic. “Are you in danger? Is someone trying to-”

“Have you ever been in love?” Chat blurted out. She immediately bit her lip, looking up at him nervously.

“I, uh,” Marin trailed off, bashfully kicking a pebble near his foot. “Yes. I have.”

“So you’d say it’s important to tell them how you feel,” Chat prodded. “Right?”

Marin scoffed.

“Now you sound like my best friend,” he sighed.

Chat’s eyes snapped to his, suddenly very curious and alert and… something else Marin couldn’t quite put his finger on. He turned away from her, but Chat only crawled over to stay in his line of sight. Her expression was too serious for Marin to roll his eyes at the sight of Chat moving around like her namesake.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked, gaze filled with intent.

“I’m in love with this girl in my class,” Marin sighed. “I keep trying to work up the nerve to tell her, but I just… can’t.”

“ _Oh_ ,” Chat breathed, looking down. “That… sucks.”

“Yeah.”

Chat sat back down, wringing her hands. The motion was strange on her, definitely not one of the many ways Marin had seen her fidget in the past. Her eyes were downcast, seemingly fixated with something on the pavement. Marin was about to ask her what was wrong when she spoke again.

“What’s she like?”

“She’s… kind,” Marin said. “And smart. She tries to be fair to everyone, even if they don’t deserve it. But I think she gets lonely sometimes. I want to protect her.”

“So you like delicate girls,” Chat sighed teasingly, still not quite looking at him. “Maybe I should faint the next time an akuma shows up. Then you can carry me away in those strong, manly arms of yours.”

“ _Chat._ ”

She gave a hollow laugh in response, getting up and walking over to peer out at the city from the edge of the rooftop. The sun had almost finished setting, daylight fading quickly. Something about the way the remaining light outlined her silhouette made a wave of nostalgia wash over Marin. This was a sight he’d probably seen countless times in dozens of places across the city- Chat Noire standing with her back to him as the sun hid beneath the horizon. It was a sight he’d probably see many more times before their work as superheroes was through, but that didn’t change the feeling he got that right _now_ was different than the other times would be. It felt _important_.

“You know, being a strong, independent woman isn't exactly a turn off for me,” Marin baited, feeling off-kilter upon noticing Chat’s sudden quiet. “I happen to think it's kinda hot when you kick ass.”

He grinned, waiting for her to turn around and pounce on him. He liked to reserve compliments for special moments, and Chat always ate them up. But she didn’t turn around, didn’t flirt back, didn’t _move._ Except for a slight tensing of her shoulders, that is. It was only then that he noticed how tightly her hands gripped the railing and the way her tail seemed to lay limp on the ground. Something bitter churned in Marin’s gut.

“Chat?” Marin called out, getting up when he heard no response. “Is something wrong?”

“Are you really in love with this girl?” she asked suddenly, voice wobbling peculiarly. “Not just a crush, but truly in love with her?”

“I, uh,” Marin stammered, thrown off-guard by the personal question. “That is-”

“Be honest, Ladybug.”

“Yes,” he sighed all at once, his answer leaving him like an exhale after too much time spent holding his breath.

Chat was quiet for a long moment, and Marin edged closer in worry. Then, suddenly, she spun around and shot him a grin so blinding it would’ve made a lesser man swoon. The both literal and metaphorical 180 was enough to give Marin whiplash.

“Well, bugaboo, I'll support you,” Chat winked, rocking back on her heels as she gripped the railing. “And if that crush of yours doesn't pan out, I'll be waiting here with open arms… And _open legs._ ”

“ _Chat._ ”

She laughed again, but it still sounded strange like before. With a military salute and a flirtatious, “ _My Liege_ ” Chat made her exit, flipping over the railing and jumping from rooftop to rooftop in that ostentatious way of hers. Marin frowned at her retreating silhouette, a twinge pulling at his chest as he fought to shake the feeling that something was wrong. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t quite do it.

***

Later that night, Marin got ready to pick up more prints of the bakery’s business cards for his parents. The sky rumbled outside, so he grabbed his umbrella (really the umbrella Adrienne had given him two years ago, but it was pretty much his by that point) before heading downstairs. Sabine stood waiting with his jacket by the door, smiling warmly at him.

“Thanks, Maman,” he grinned, reaching for it. Marin’s smile faltered, however, when his mother’s face darkened.

“What’s this?” she asked, pulling at his hands to inspect the huge purple splotch on the tender side of one wrist and the matching bruise on the opposite forearm.

“I fell,” Marin lied, quickly yanking his arm away. “My arm took most of the impact. I’m fine, really.”

“You _fell?_ ” she gaped, disbelieving. Marin forced an awkward smile.

“We all know how clumsy I am, Maman.”

She looked at him for a long moment, eyes narrowed. Then, all at once, she dropped his arm and stepped back with a sigh.

“You have to be more careful, Marin,” she scolded, brushing a thumb over his cheek.

“Of course, Maman,” he grinned reassuringly, pecking her on the cheek before he left.

Outside, it poured. Marin was soaked up to mid-calf from all the puddles in the cobblestone streets by the time he got to store, and he ended up awkwardly dripping as he stood near the register until an associate brought him the business cards. He hoped his bashful smile excused the mess, but the cashier’s flat grimace didn’t give him much hope.

He decided to test his luck by cutting through the park, careful not to veer off the path and muddy his shoes. Only after he’d passed the fountain did he just barely make out a sob through the downpour. At first he thought the rain was playing tricks on his mind. It was only when he heard another shaky gasp that he whirled around in search of whoever was crying. It took him a few minutes to find the source of the noises, and Marin’s stomach dropped when he saw a dark figure huddled up on a park bench.

He ran to her.

“ _Chat Noire?_ ”

Chat lifted her head from her the cradle of her hands and looked up at him. She evidently hadn’t taken cover, and her suit was so drenched that it glistened like patent leather. Her wild hair clung wetly to her cheeks, no longer falling in fluffy tendrils down her back. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, and Marin’s gut twisted with the knowledge that the water sliding over her cheeks wasn’t just rain. He moved in closer, using his umbrella to shield both of them from the storm. Chat blinked up at him, only halfway there.

“Are you okay?” Chat asked, voice still wobbling with tears. Marin gaped.

“Am _I_ okay?” he asked incredulously. “I’m worried about _you_.”

“Oh,” she sighed. “Usually people find me when they need my help.”

“Well, you seem upset,” Marin started, noting the way she cringed as her already stiff shoulders raised in self-defense.

“It’s just the rain,” she lied, not meeting his eyes.

“Last I checked, storms don’t sound like someone crying their eyes out.”

She looked down and wouldn’t meet his eyes, and Marin kicked himself. Cautiously, like one would approach a wounded stray, he sat on the bench beside her. She only sniffled, not reacting to his proximity in the slightest. Then, with even more caution than before, Marin wrapped an arm around Chat’s shoulders and pulled her into his chest. She went rigid at first, but after a few moments she collapsed into him and finally let herself cry again.

Pain shot through Marin’s chest as his arm wrapped tighter around her quivering shoulders. Every gasp, every whimper and clutch of Marin’s shirt in her hands, tore at him. And through the ache he felt for her, rage flooded him. Someone had hurt Chat. His partner. His Yin, his dark, his equal. His very skin felt as if it’d burn from the sizzle of his blood like parchment held over a flame.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, words soft and urgent. “Are you hurt?”

“My h- _heart_ ,” she gasped, clawing at her own chest. “It’s like s-someone is trying to rip it out.”

“ _What?_ ” he gasped pushing her just far enough a so he could look for blood, for wounds, for physical distress. “Was it the akuma attack today? Did someone-”

Chat quieted him with a frantic shake of her head, clenching her eyes shut.

“Then what-”

“He’s never gonna love me back.”

Marin blanched for a second, the gears in his head turning slowly, as if trying to churn through molasses. Chat had nestled her head into his shoulder by the time he’d managed to unclog them. Marin’s shoulders sagged, and he felt guilty for the tinge of relief that followed. No bodily harm, and no one had hurt her in the kind of ways Marin would kill over. But that still did nothing to ease the fact that his partner was _hurting_.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, running hands over her back. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why am I never _enough_?”

Marin balked. If anything, he’d always thought Chat might be a bit _too much_. She had a way of overwhelming the senses, like how sunlight can sear the eyes if you look directly at the source or strong spices can make your jaw tingle even as your tongue finds pleasure in the taste. And maybe it wasn’t this boy’s fault that he didn’t love her like she wanted, but the prospect of anyone making Chat feel like she is anything less than earth-shaking filled Marin up with indignation and more than a little anger.

“You’re _amazing_ , Chat. Anyone who doesn’t see that is an idiot.”

“Ladybug isn’t an idiot,” she muttered back, voice muffled against his collar.

Instinctively, Marin stiffened at the mention of his superhero identity. But then everything started coming together, and his stomach dropped to his feet. He pulled back to properly look Chat in the face.

“You,” he stammered. “You’re in love with _Ladybug_?”

Chat gave a bitter laugh that sounded nothing like the lilting melody of the voice he’d heard echo over the Parisienne rooftops. Nothing like he’d ever heard from her at all, really.

“You must be the only one in all of Paris who doesn’t know,” she scoffed. “I make a big enough idiot of myself around him for all the gossip magazines to pick up on it.”

“I thought it was all just tabloid talk.” Marin whispered numbly.

“Well, the parts about us being in a secret relationship are made up,” Chat sighed, wiping at her runny nose and trying to put herself together. “But no one can fake the way I look at him. Not even the media.”

And she had this look on her face that hurt Marin more than any blow ever dealt to him in combat because _it was his fault_ . _He_ had hurt her. _He_ had made her cry. _He_ had made her feel like she was worth less. And Marin Dupain-Cheng knew he was a monster for it, however unintentional the pain he’d caused her had been. He searched for every instance that could’ve lead up to this, every little moment that could’ve clued him in on his partner falling in love with him. Marin realized that he shouldn’t have brushed off her soft smiles and her pick-up lines and her _closeness_. But still, it didn’t feel real.

_Chat Noir is in love with me. She’s actually in love with me._

Apparently his long silence had been taken as an end to the conversation, and Chat rose from the bench without a word. Once again Marin was faced with Chat’s back, but the lonely hunch of her shoulders was something he’d never seen her wear in front of him. He couldn’t tell if the way she trembled was from the cold or something else altogether.

“Sorry for the sob story,” she murmured, voice weighed down by exhaustion and resignation. She took out her baton then, probably gearing to leave, but Marin jolted from his seat.

“ _Chat_ ,” he called out to her, a shade too desperate.

She paused, turning to look at him with the faintest flicker of curiosity in her eyes. She didn’t say anything, but having her full attention focused on him prodded Marin into finally speaking.

“You’re the most courageous, noble person I’ve ever met,” Marin finally managed. “And you deserve someone who can love you the way you love them.”

Chat just stared at him, mouth dropped just the tiniest bit. For a moment they didn’t move, the rain storm around them so fierce that their ears were deaf to anything other than the downpour. And each other, that is. Marin still caught the way Chat’s breath went all shaky again, and he could almost pretend to make out the steady thrum of her pulse. Wordlessly, he tucked the business cards under his jacket and stepped forward. Chat looked almost dazed when he thrusted the handle of the umbrella into her palms, and it took a few seconds of Marin’s hand over hers before she properly gripped it.

Unthinkingly, Marin tucked a lock of wet hair behind her ear. He was quick to yank his hand away, though, knowing that he was being too familiar. Chat opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. Lightning struck in the distance, a loud clap of thunder crashing soon after. Once Marin was sure that Chat truly had nothing to say and that the umbrella was firmly gripped in her hand, he ran. He ran, and ran, and ran. But the pain he’d seen in Chat’s eyes only chased after him, a presence that hovered overhead like his own personal raincloud.

_She’s in love with you, Marin._

_I know_ , his conscience hissed back. _And I broke her heart._

***

_if any word that i said could’ve made you forget,_

_i’d have given you them all._

* * *

 

Follow me on [Tumblr](https://blaqqkat.tumblr.com).


	2. friends can break your heart, too.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wake of her recent heartbreak, Adrienne finds herself hating silence more than ever. It seems that the words that hurt her the most are always the ones left unsaid.

_you want her,_

_you need her,_

_and i’ll never be her._

 

\- - - - -

 

Adrienne had always wondered what Ladybug’s lips tasted like. She’d hoped it was something romantic, like honey and cinnamon. That morning, though, she woke up wondering if they’d taste like another girl. Adrienne hissed and pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes when fresh tears welled up. She hadn’t cried this much since her mother’s funeral; the hollow ache of the swollen skin beneath her eyes was something she’d tried to put behind her, but the feeling was far too familiar for her to have truly forgotten it.

“Come on, kid,” Plagg murmured, having come over to pat her cheek. “You cried all night. You’ve gotta be worn out by now.”

Adrienne began to reply, but another hiccupped sob came out instead. She pressed her hand tight to her mouth and turned into her pillow, shoulders trembling. Plagg patted her head, and his rare show of patience only made her cry harder. It took a lot of soothing before the tears stopped and even more before her breathing leveled out again. After a few moments she finally turned bleary eyes to Plagg and attempted a smile. He rolled kind eyes at her and nestled beside her head, not saying a word.

Still unwilling to get out of bed and start what would surely be a miserable day, Adrienne let her eyes trail over her room. Her cavernous, lace-filled, _pink_ room. God, she hated pink. No matter how many times she tried to casually mention it to her father or Nathalie, it always ended up in her room or wardrobe. The only patch of pigment to break up all the shades of peach and coral was the black umbrella that was propped against Adrienne’s desk. _Her_ umbrella, that she’d given Marin so long ago. That he’d given back to her the night before. After he comforted her, that is.

“Marin saw me crying,” Adrienne groaned, voice cracking under the strain of finally speaking. “He saw _Chat_ crying.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Plagg yawned from his spot curled up on her pillow. “He’s a sensitive kid. He won’t tell anyone.”

Which was true. Marin was so emotionally in-tune and probably the only guy in the history of ever who wasn't freaked out by crying girls. Maybe it was because of the time he spent babysitting one. Or maybe it was because he had this inherent sensitivity and kindness that, if weaponized, could probably make more panties drop than Ryan Gosling’s smile. Either way, it had done something strange to Adrienne’s insides. Not quite butterflies (only Ladybug made her feel like that), but… warmth? It was a small feeling, but also a very tender one. And she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

“Adrienne,” Nathalie called, voice muffled from the door. “The chauffeur will be departing in an hour. Make sure you’ve dressed and eaten by then.”

Begrudgingly, Adrienne got up and dressed herself. There was hardly anything practical in her closet, and as she put on a top that was far dressier than she’d prefer, she wished that she had something cool and badass to wear. Like a leather moto jacket, or studded combat boots. (She then scolded herself for even thinking about it because being an Agreste means dressing in something fashion-forward _every second of your life_.) She huffed as she struggled to pull up the zipper on the back of her pencil skirt, but even worse ventures were ahead.

The worst part about getting ready in the morning was undoubtedly straightening her wild hair. It always seemed spring back into messy curls when she transformed (possibly due to Chat Noire’s proclivity to getting tossed into _la seine_ ). Adrienne honestly didn’t mind it, but her father and Nathalie scolded her when she wore it naturally.

_“It looks unkempt, Adrienne.”_

_“That_ hair _is a poor representation of the Agreste brand.”_

“They can shove the Agreste brand up their asses,” she muttered bitterly, making a third pass through an especially stubborn lock of curls.

The dining room was even quieter than its usual early-morning stupor, the only sound coming from the murmuring news feed on the television. When Adrienne’s food was served, the butler lifted the silver platter cover to reveal boiled eggs (with the yolks removed) and celery. Adrienne sighed, eyes falling to the mahogany table. It was only when her stomach rumbled that she picked up her fork to eat. As Adrienne grimaced around a mouthful of food, she fixed her attention on the TV.

“ _...-spite falling unemployment rates in France, many major firms have been facing severe layoffs that have resulted in a devastating effect on Paris’s labor force. The most notable of these large-scale cutbacks is undoubtedly that of the world-famous Agreste brand, founded by prominent fashion designer Gabriel Agreste, which has let go of upwards of one thousand employees this week_.”

Adrienne’s fork clattered to the table.

“ _Nobody knows why Agreste has enacted these major layoff of designers and HR in their French headquarters, but circulating rumors have hypothesized all sorts of possibilities: rebranding, an embezzlement scandal, bankruptcy-_ ”

The screen went black as Nathalie appeared seemingly out of nowhere to turn the tv off. Her face was even more terse than usual, mouth pulled into a tight line. She crossed her arms, and Adrienne couldn’t help but notice the stiff set of Nathalie’s shoulders and the agitated tap of her foot.

“No TV unless you can be bothered to finish your breakfast,” Nathalie snapped. “We’re leaving in ten minutes, and you still have to put makeup on.”

“For school?” Adrienne asked, bewildered. Nathalie rolled her eyes and walked towards the door.

“You’re almost an adult, Adrienne. You can’t show up barefaced to an interview or a date, and school is no different. Besides,” Nathalie paused in the doorway, glancing back at Adrienne. “Your eyes are all red and swollen. It’s unbecoming.”

Nathalie left then, and Adrienne finished her meal in complete silence. She applied her makeup in complete silence, too. And when Adrienne joined Nathalie in the car, she found her staring contemplatively out of the window. If Nathalie noticed that Adrienne was more reserved than usual, she didn’t say anything. The only sign that Nathalie even noticed Adrienne’s presence at all was the distracted wave of her hand as she signaled the driver to leave, gaze still fixed outside the window the entire time.

Adrienne spent the ride with her eyes on the back of the seat in front of her, wilting in the silence. She couldn’t shake the feeling that her life was quietly falling apart. She couldn’t muffle the voice telling her that everything was going to come crashing down, crushing her, and no one would care. More than anything, Adrienne couldn’t muster up that lust for life that’d always burned inside of her. Even walking through the school gate and knowing she was mere yards away from her friends did nothing to put some color back into the world.

“Good morning, babe,” Nina grinned as Adrienne walked into class, turning from a conversation with Ali.

She tried to grin back, forcing herself to stand straighter and smile extra wide. Adrienne hated acting in front of Nina, but she hated worrying her even more. Everything about Nina (from her artfully messy pixie cut to her oversized glasses to the earbud she always had plugged in one ear) was laidback. Refreshing, even. Dampening Nina’s good vibes with Adrienne’s trainwreck of an existence would be selfish.

“Morning, Nina. And you, too, Ali.”

Ali opened his mouth to greet her in return, but sudden thud from underneath Ali’s desk made Adrienne jerk back in surprise. She watched with wide eyes as a flustered Marin slowly rose from behind it, rubbing the top of his head. The nervous grin he shot Adrienne made her lips tug in response. Some of the tightness she’d been carrying in her throat softened at the sight of him.

“Hey, Marin,” she greeted. “How are you?”

“I- I’g mood,” he stammered, flushing up to his ears. “I mean. I’m good! Very good! Great, actually. Yes siree, I’m-”

“He’s good,” Ali interrupted, grin strained as he yanked Marin back into his seat.

“Good to hear,” Adrienne smiled gently, tucking a bit of hair behind her ear as her eyes met his.

Marin just gaped at her then, and Adrienne would’ve thought the sight of him was funny if she weren’t slightly concerned. After a moment, however, something shifted. Marin’s eyes dropped to the floor, and his mouth settled in a line. The sudden withdrawal made Adrienne’s brows furrow. She ducked her head to catch his attention again.

“You look better smiling, you know,” she teased, grinning when Marin’s cheeks flushed as his gaze flew back up to her. It was only when Nina tugged on her arm that she broke eye contact.

“ _Jesus,_ ” Nina hissed under her breath. “I know you’re a flirt, but you’re gonna break that boy.”

Which was unfortunate because Adrienne likes to flirt. It's fun to flutter her eyelashes and push someone's buttons- to poke and prod until she elicits the desired responses. She especially liked bringing a flattered blush to someone’s cheeks and knowing that with a few words she was able make their day a little rosier. It's like a game, in a way, and it's the only time Adrienne can get exactly what she wants from people. With a few exceptions.

Ladybug had never given her the time of day. He simply laughed and brushed her off every time with a pat on the head and a nudge of his elbow. No matter how hard she tried, he never really acknowledged her. It was soul-crushing. And then there was that time that she thoughtlessly flirted with Marin and he stuttered about his _menstrual cramps_ before running out of the classroom. Which was definitely not a positive reception, no matter what Nina says. So Adrienne shot Marin one last look over her shoulder before turning around in her seat, the warmth that’d been kindling in her chest cooling in an instant. Adrienne couldn’t keep a sigh from escaping her.

“Are you okay?” Nina asked after a few moments, voice low.

“Of course,” Adrienne lied. “Do I not seem okay?”

“You seem sad,” Nina murmured, hand on Adrienne’s back.

“I,” Adrienne faltered. “It’s just…”

“Is it about your dad’s company?”

“Don’t remind me,” Adrienne groaned. “I didn’t even find out until this morning. While watching the news.”

“ _What-_ ”

“Alright, students! Class is in session.”

Nina shot her a concerned look but Adrienne waved it off, motioning for her to pay attention to the teacher. Which was completely hypocritical, seeing how she herself didn’t listen to a single word. Adrienne pushed the controversy with her father’s company out of her mind, trying to think about literally anything else. It wasn’t long before her thoughts strayed back to Ladybug. Ladybug, who loved another girl who was kind and smart and made him want to protect her. A girl who probably wasn’t greedy and desperate for his attention like Chat Noire. A girl who-

Adrienne blinked back fresh tears blurring her vision and trained her eyes on the ceiling. This was school. Crying could wait until she was home. Or never, preferably. _Happy thoughts, Adrienne. Happy. Thoughts._ And then, miraculously, her mind drifted to Marin.

She wondered how someone who was almost unbearably gentle could exist so close to her. Before she could catch herself, she turned back to look at him and found those very eyes watching her. Marin’s eyes, which had been tinged with concern and something _else_ , widened at having been caught staring. His words to Chat echoed in Adrienne’s mind.

“ _You’re the most courageous, noble person I’ve ever met._ ”

Both of them quickly looked away, and Adrienne spent the next several minutes trying to ignore the heat that burned in her cheeks.

 

\- - - - -

 

If someone had told Adrienne that her daddy issue-addled adolescence would be spent with her working nights on a pole in a skin-tight leather outfit, she still would've had a vastly different idea of how her life would pan out. _Still gotta admit, the ears are kinda kinky._ The internal dialogue was enough to make Adrienne chuckle to herself as she vaulted from rooftop to rooftop, but the laughter died in her throat as soon as she was on the scene. Normally having two akuma battles within two days elated Adrienne because it meant seeing Ladybug again. That first flash of red always sent her insides fluttering, heart beating heavy in her chest. This time, however, dread filled her like cement poured down her throat because it meant _seeing Ladybug again_.

The black and crimson blur of that spotted suit was an invisible hand punching through her ribcage, gripping her heart, and _squeezing_. Ladybug was hunched over, pushing back the hair that’d fallen into his eyes. He glanced over and saw Adrienne approaching, and the rigid set of his shoulders relaxed. Only one side of his mouth twitched up into a grin at the sight of Chat Noire, but it was enough to knock the breath out of her.

“It’s her bracelet,” Ladybug told her, voice low and rushed. “Get ready to grab it when I give the signal.”

“Right,” Adrienne nodded, breaking away as Ladybug called for his lucky charm.

She watched as a bag of marbles landed in Ladybug’s hands, waiting until he scattered them around the akuma’s feet and threw a hand up before she darted in to snatch the jewelry off the akuma’s wrist. Adrienne sent the bracelet careening through the air, lips twitching up into a grin when Ladybug caught it and smashed it in one deft movement. Seamlessly, like a dancer transitioning from one move into the next, Ladybug purified the akuma.

“ _So long, butterfly! Lucky charm!_ ”

And as the disarray surrounding them put itself into order, Ladybug flashed her a triumphant grin that had her heart aching all over again. After a few moments the grin slipped off his face, but the pain gripping her chest didn’t go away. He gave her the strangest look then, all caution and guilt. It made Adrienne wonder how pathetic and lovelorn she must’ve looked, and she hated it.

“Pound it,” she chimed, stretching a fist out as her eyes dared him to point out the insincerity of her smile.

Hesitantly, Ladybug bumped his knuckles against hers. They stayed like that for longer than usual, outstretched fists pressed together, until Ladybug coughed and dropped his hand. And then the two of them were just standing there, and it felt way too awkward to be passed off as the norm. It was probably her fault, like everything else seemed to be. She made things weird with her strange behavior and hasty retreat.

_Say something, Adrienne._

“I, um-”

**_Say something._ **

“I should probably get going,” Adrienne finally mumbled, hating herself for it.

“But,” Ladybug rushed forward, grabbing her wrist. “Do you have to go so fast?”

She didn’t turn around, eyes trained on the cement. Then asked, “Is there any reason for me to stay?”

Ladybug didn’t respond, just gripping her wrist tighter. After a few moments, he let her go. As Adrienne ran away, she didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

 

\- - - - -

 

“You know,” Plagg said around a mouthful of cheese. “I’m sure there are healthier coping mechanisms than what you’re doing.”

Adrienne scoffed, pausing to wipe at her snotty nose as she tore the last of the feathers out of her pillow.

“I don’t know,” Adrienne replied, yanking at the seams of her third pillow until she heard the satisfying rip of fabric. “I feel like it’s a step up from destroying billboards of my own face.”

“That’s not saying much.”

Adrienne ignored him, tossing more handfuls of fluff of to the side. She also ignored the tears that dried on her cheeks and left her skin feeling tight. And she ignored gnawing, empty feeling in her stomach that hadn’t been satiated from her poor excuse of a dinner (a kale salad that could’ve fit in the palms of her hands). It was when she reached for her fourth pillow that Plagg made himself something impossible to ignore.

“Put the pillow down,” he hissed, poking her forehead. “Do something productive!”

“Like what?” Adrienne sighed, glancing up at him.

Plagg didn’t respond for a while. Just as frustration started bubbling up in Adrienne, he finally said, “It was pretty nice of that Mario kid to lend you his umbrella, wasn’t it?”

“Marin,” Adrienne corrected, glancing over where it leaned against her desk. “His name is Marin.”

“Whatever his name is,” Plagg drawled. “You should probably give back his umbrella some time. It’s common courtesy.”

Well, it’d been _Adrienne’s_ umbrella to begin with, but-

“Yeah,” Adrienne agreed. “I should get it back to him.”

“A shame that you’ll have to wait until you run into him as Chat Noire.”

“I mean,” Adrienne murmured, the wheels in her head turning. “I’ve been to his house before. I could just… drop it off?”

“That’s nice,” Plagg approved. “Too bad he won’t have it for tomorrow. I heard it’s gonna rain.”

“It’s gonna rain tomorrow?”

“That’s what I heard.”

Adrienne was quiet for a moment. Then, “I could probably drop it off tonight. Maybe.”

“Oh?”

“It’s almost midnight, but it wouldn’t take _that_ long.”

“You could just drop it off and come back.”

“Yeah, I’ll just… drop it off and come back.”

 

\- - - - -

 

To say that Adrienne felt like a creep slinking around on Marin’s balcony at midnight would’ve been a wicked understatement. She should just leave the damn umbrella on one of the chairs and go. This was _crazy,_ and only someone as irresponsible as Adrienne would dare drop into a civilian’s home _in the dead of night_ using an umbrella as a cheap excuse to have incredibly personal conversations with said civilian _while she still had the mask on_. She should leave and pretend this never-

“ _Chat Noire?_ ”

_Fuck._

“Um, hi?”

“What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”

“I just,” Adrienne stammered, holding out her umbrella. “I came to return this.”

The deadpan expression on Marin’s face was one that she’d never quite seen sent her way as Adrienne. She found it kind of weird that Marin was more comfortable showing blatant ~~sass~~ skepticism to one of Paris’s most renowned superheroes than one of his classmates.

“You came here in _the middle of the night,_ ” Marin said slowly, as if to further emphasize the absurdity of the situation. “To return an _umbrella_?”

And because half of Adrienne’s social interactions were her bullshitting people, she replied, “I heard it was gonna rain tomorrow.”

“Why are you really here?” Marin asked, stepping forward to take the umbrella in his hands.

“I just thought it’d be tragic if my Prince Charming got soaked on the way to school, that’s all.”

“Your face is flushed, and your lips are puffy,” Marin observed, making Adrienne nearly jump out of her skin when he reached out to put a hand on her face. “You’ve been crying.”

“Or _kissing_ ,” she purred suggestively, plastering a fake grin on her face and fluttering her lashes. Marin pursed his lips, unconvinced.

“Come to my room,” Marin finally said, voice leaving no room for argument. Adrienne scoffed, pulling away from Marin’s outstretched hand (which was chilly enough to be an almost jolting contrast to the warmth of his smile).

“You aren’t even gonna buy me dinner first?”

“I have a plate of croissants on my desk.”

Adrienne scampered through the trapdoor with remarkable speed.

Ten minutes later, Adrienne was stretched out on Marin’s chaise with a half-empty plate of croissants. Marin eyed her warily from where he perched on his bed, face giving away hardly any clue as to what he thought of the absurdity of this entire ordeal. Adrienne stared back at him as she stuffed her face, unwilling to be the first to break this strange silence. After a few moments, Marin sighed and finally pointed out the obvious.

“This is about Ladybug, isn’t it?”

“I mean,” Adrienne said around a mouthful of croissant. “It’s mostly about me and why I’m not good enough for him, but I guess you can say that.”

As Adrienne lifted the half-eaten croissant to her face, a pillow cut through the room and knocked it out of her hand. She gasped in horror at its final resting place on the carpet before whipping her head in Marin’s direction, mouth already poised to express her outrage at the blatant waste of baked deliciousness. She stopped, though, when she saw that _look_ on his face. That strange cocktail of indignation and guilt that had painted his features when she cried to him the night before.

“Don’t say stuff like that,” Marin bit out. “Your self-worth shouldn’t revolve around if some guy is in love with you.”

Adrienne scoffed.

“You sound like my kwa- _Cat._ You sound like my cat.”

“You talk to your cat?” Marin asked, arching a brow.

“His name is Plagg,” Adrienne hummed. “He’s very wise.”

“Oh, really?” Marin chuckled, eyes amused. Chat brightened at the smile that played around the corners of his mouth.

“He’s pretty much as old as time itself. I’d be concerned if he hadn’t picked up a thing or two.”

“Maybe Plagg should help me with my physics homework sometime,” Marin teased.

“I don’t think Plagg is much of a scholar,” Adrienne laughed. “He’s more of a street knowledge type of guy. He taught me how to fight, you know.”

“So that’s how you’re so _brave_ and _strong_ ,” Marin drawled sweetly, sarcasm apparent in his smirk.

And it wasn’t that Adrienne didn’t realize he was teasing her. She did, truly. But Adrienne was practically starved for validation. So despite the coy glint in Marin’s eyes, she couldn’t quell the rush pride that rose in her chest- or the flush that rose to her cheeks, for that matter.

“Chat Noire, are you _blushing?_ ”

“Of course not,” she stammered, eyes darting around the room in embarrassment. “I just, um, well-”

And then Adrienne saw _it_ . Or them? They were plastered all over the wall behind Marin’s desk, practically begging to be noticed. _Look at me_ , they demanded. And Adrienne looked, alright-

Just to see her own face staring back.

“Why do you have posters of _Adrienne Agreste_ all over your wall?”

Despite how many times she’d seen it, Adrienne was always astounded by how quickly Marin’s skin could change from ivory to tomato-red. She watched, bewildered, as Marin tumbled down the stairs of his loft bed and made futile attempts to cover the wall with erratic hands. Adrienne wished, errantly, that her eyes could take photographs because the flustered expression on Marin’s face was one that she would’ve loved to use as his contact photo in her phone.

“I can explain! It’s not a big deal,” he insisted, despite the fact that he was now standing precariously on his rolling desk chair.

“It looks like you’re the one making it a big deal,” Adrienne teased, slinking over to get a closer look.

The photos all seemed to be from the last two or three years. Despite the fact that Marin had slapped hands over the ones higher on the wall, there were still plenty to be seen. There was one from that ridiculous swimsuit shoot with her and the inflatable pink flamingo, as well as the perfume ad that had circulated a couple months before. The most surprising one was the latest Agreste ad, which had only been released three days ago.

“I just use these for fashion inspiration!”

“This one’s a makeup ad,” Adrienne dryly pointed out. “You literally can only see her face.”

“It’s a good face,” Marin blurted out.

_Wait a second_ . Suddenly all those nonsensical interactions with Marin at school- all of his stammered pleasantries and nervous chuckles and times she'd caught him staring only for him to hastily look away- made sense. Marin _liked_ Adrienne. The jolt of realization directed all the heat in Adrienne’s body to her face.

“Do you,” Adrienne gasped. “Do you have a crush on _Adrienne Agreste_?”

It was at that moment that Marin’s luck ran up. One quick jerk of his body, and he was toppling over. His own chair crushed him immediately after, as if to add insult to injury. Chat bit her lip to keep from laughing and knelt by him. Marin shoved the chair off himself with a groan, but didn’t move from the floor.

“Are you okay?”

“We’re just friends,” Marin muttered, not really answering either of her questions in words alone.

(  _I’m not okay_ , his eyes said. _I totally have a big, fat crush on Adrienne_.)

“Who would’ve known,” Adrienne breathed, holding a hand out. “Marin Dupain-Cheng, a sucker for a pretty face.”

“ _Hey_ ,” Marin whined despite taking her hand. “That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair is that you’re able to find a picture of your crush just about in any magazine. Most people aren’t blessed with that kind of spank bank material.”

“ _Ohmygod, Chat._ ”

Adrienne threw her head back and laughed, helping Marin up. She rested a hip against his desk and threw him a smirk.

“Not that I can talk, with all the pictures of Ladybug online-”

“Are you saying you-” Marin gaped, cutting himself off. Adrienne had to keep herself from snickering.

“Marin,” she gasped playfully, hand to her chest. “How could you possibly ask me that? I’m a _lady_.”

“Sure,” Marin drawled sarcastically, the effect dampened by the color that still clung to his cheeks. “That’s why you’re alone with a boy in his room so late at night.”

“I,” Chat paused. “I hadn’t really thought of it like that.”

And it was completely true; up until that point, Adrienne hadn’t given any consideration to how her presence could be perceived. Being alone with Marin in his room with only the low light of a lamp and starlight pouring in through the windows didn’t feel illicit or forbidden, though. It felt… safe. _Warm_. Adrienne wondered if this was what a sleepover felt like. She’d never been to one, but she guessed it was something close to this: secrets and laughter and a fullness in her chest.

A glance at the time on Marin’s computer, however, reminded Adrienne that all good things must come to an end.

“I guess I should go,” Adrienne sighed.

“I was just kidding,” Marin rushed to say. “I wasn’t telling you to leave-”

“I know,” Adrienne chuckled. “You just reminded me how late it is. I have school in the morning.”

“Oh,” Marin breathed. “That… makes sense. Good night, then.”

Slowly, so Marin could back away if he wanted, Adrienne pulled him into a hug. She vaguely wondered if he worked out because his back and shoulders felt way more firm under her hands than she was expecting. Marin was definitely sturdy. Or maybe all boys were? The only other boy she’d really hugged was Ladybug, and those hugs were usually so full of adrenaline and relief that she didn’t have time analyze his body composition. Adrienne pulled away before Marin really got the chance to hug her back, flashing him the brightest grin she could muster.

“Thanks for everything,” she murmured. “You’ve been my knight in shining armour.”

“ _You’re_ the superhero,” Marin teased. “That seems more your forte.”

“I guess that’s true,” Adrienne hummed, rocking back on her heels. “What does that make you? My prince?”

“ _Hardly_ ,” Marin scoffed, crossing his arms.

“I don’t know,” Adrienne drawled, climbing up to the little trap door on the ceiling. “It seems like you’ve got the hots for the princess type.”

The pleasure she took in the flush that crawled up Marin’s neck was borderline sadistic.

“ _Chat-_ ”

“Goodnight, Charming!”

Adrienne slipped away into the night, grinning to herself. Technically she was leaping from rooftop to rooftop, but it felt more like she was floating. It was like someone had filled Adrienne up with helium, and she was ready to burst. In a good way, that is. It was nice, having a friend like Marin. He didn’t magically make all her problems and heartache disappear, but he made her feel like everything would eventually turn out okay.

(Like the world wasn’t actually crashing down, just _changing_.)

Adrienne looked out over her sprawling, bustling city. From her vantage point she could see everything— even _la tour Eiffel_. She knew objectively that it was the same Paris that she’d always known, but something about it seemed different. The ambient noises of people and traffic sounded cheerier, the breeze felt heavenly against her skin, and the lights from inside people’s homes looked just a little brighter. Even the night air tasted sweeter, as if Adrienne’s tongue was remembering the honeyed glaze of the croissants she’d eaten.

_Maybe I should spend more time with Marin_ , she mused to herself.

As if answering her, the Eiffel Tower reached that magical point in its hourly cycle where all its lights shimmered like stars in an endless night sky. Even after witnessing it countless times before, the sight of it still made Adrienne’s breath shudder.

_Alright, universe_ , she thought. _Message received._

 

\- - - - -

 

_friends can break your heart, too._

_and i’m always tired_

_but never of you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed the chapter, then leave a comment/kudos or holler at me on Tumblr! (@blaqqkat) I'm going to try updating semi-regularly, but attending college and having a part-time job can get in the way so be patient with me. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you get notified of future updates. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Song lyrics from "Bridges" by Broods. Please leave kudos or something so I can tell if people are into this shit. Follow me on Tumblr, my handle is @blaqqkat. Hasta la later, my dudes.


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